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Story Highlights

Lincoln County will receive $1,719,351 under a program that reimburses counties for property tax money lost on land that is federally-owned within their boundaries. The amount is slightly down from the $1,738,123 allotted last year.

A release Wednesday from members of the county’s congressional delegation stated that counties across New Mexico are receiving more than $38.5 million through the 2017 Payment in Lieu of Taxes program. Funding for this year's PILT program was provided in the bipartisan budget agreement to fund the government through September, as part of the Interior Department's Fiscal Year 2017 budget.

The PILT program provides federal payments to local governments to compensate for nontaxable federal land, such as Bureau of Land Management land, national parks and forests. Local governments use PILT funding to help pay for police and fire protection, emergency response, schools, road maintenance and other crucial services to residents.

New Mexico is the third-highest recipient of PILT payments in the country.

"PILT payments are critical for New Mexico counties, especially rural counties, which rely on the funding to provide basic services like public safety, schools, and roads," U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for the Department of the Interior, said. "I fought for these FY 2017 payments, which increase funding to New Mexico counties, but now the Trump administration is proposing to cut the funding for Fiscal Year 2018, despite how important this program is to New Mexico and other rural Western states. “

Udall, a Democrat, pledged to fight to ensure the program receives full funding going forward.

"Rural communities across New Mexico rely on PILT funds to provide for emergency response, maintain roads and bridges, and support local jobs," U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said. "I am glad we were successful in securing funding for this year’s payments, but we still need permanent funding for PILT to give counties in New Mexico more long term predictability.”

Heinrich, a Democrat, also pledged to continue to fight for full, permanent PILT funding.

According to the Department of the Interior, which administers the PILT program, annual PILT payments are calculated based on the number of acres of federal land within each county and the population of that county. The lands managed by the National Forest Service, National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, as well as most lands managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and water resource projects that are managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, are included in the calculation for the payment.

All but one of New Mexico’s 33 counties collects PILT. The county receiving the highest level of reimbursement is Eddy County at $3,509,582 and the county receiving the fewest dollars is Quay at $4,751. Neighboring Chaves County will receive $$3,155,260 and Otero County is in line for $$3,266,296.